The Mantra Downtown Victoria

On September 2nd, we made a last-minute decision to stop by @themantravictoria. I pass by this restaurant almost daily and am always enticed by the delicious smells. We were particularly interested in trying the paneer pakora, but unfortunately, they were out of it. We were disappointed to learn that they were also out of samosas. Despite this, we tried the veggie pakora with onion bhajia, gobhi garlic cauliflower, dal makhani, and eggplant bhartha. The food was good, but nothing stood out as spectacular. The eggplant was excellent, but there was too much raw onion in the dish. The onion bhajia was too oily, and the pakoras were not fully cooked through. The dal makhani was rich and flavorful, but it did not compare to the dal makhani at @khazanayeg. I'm not sure if I would return to this restaurant, but I am glad we tried it. I am still on a mission to find spectacular Indian food on the island.

I stumbled upon a fantastic restaurant. I tried their lunch buffet which featured a wide selection of delicious vegan dishes, particularly enjoying their vegan Indian cuisine. Plus, they have a robot server which was a cool touch. The lunch buffet is a great deal at under $15. I highly recommend it!

I truly believe that this is the best Indian restaurant in Victoria. I have visited several times and have never been disappointed. Each time I try something new from the menu on my weekly date nights, and it is always amazing. I highly recommend trying the chicken lababdar, even if the spelling may not be correct, the staff will know what you mean. Trust me, butter chicken lovers, this dish is on another level. If you have any questions about desserts or appetizers, feel free to ask me. Additionally, Megha provided fantastic service.

My partner and I were in search of a new dining spot for the evening, and we decided to try out The Mantra. As we perused the menu, we ordered glasses of Shiraz wine and Hoyne Pilsner beer. We made a plan to order enough food for both dinner that night and lunch the next day. Opting for mild to medium heat for most dishes, we decided to go for medium heat on a couple of items. While we usually play it safe with spice levels, we found that medium was just right for us. Every dish we tried was fantastic, and our server, who was new, provided excellent service. Our food was brought to us by Robbie, except for the tandoori fish, which was served sizzling hot by another staff member. We will definitely be returning to The Mantra in the future.

I recently went to this restaurant for a celebratory dinner and had the place pretty much to ourselves. A robot waiter brought out our dishes and even sang a silly but fun rendition of "Happy Birthday". The spinach paneer was delicious and had a beautiful, vibrant color. I also appreciated that they were able to accommodate vegan requests for many dishes. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience.